Central Equatoria · South Sudan
Where to stay in Juba
Juba is a city in Central Equatoria, South Sudan, home to about 500,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- JUB3 km · Juba International Airport
- Currency
- SSPSouth Sudanese pound
- Time zone
- Africa/Juba
- Language
- English
About
About Juba
Juba is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria State.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Juba
See
- "Greek" buildings
- Juba Stadium
- John Garang Mausoleum
- St. Theresa Cathedral
Do
Plan to entertain yourself as there is not much to see or do. However, due to the many expats including many Kenyans, Ugandans and the hundreds of Westerners there are numerous bars, restaurants and nightspots. There is something going on most weekends. You can also take a boat trip on the Nile, go fishing, go jogging, and there's a Hash House Harriers in Juba.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Juba to stay in
The accommodation boom is finally impacting on prices - tents are becoming less popular with air conditioned prefabs now the norm (many 'hotels' are simply a collection of prefabs). Prefabs with a/c are around $150 per night, safari-type tents US$80 to $100. However demand, and hence prices rise, when a big conference is in town. Most accommodation is full-board, with breakfasts, lunches and dinners 7 days a week. In Juba, hotel-land hot showers are now the luxury to seek out, rather than air conditioning, which is easy to find.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Juba
9 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Addis Ababa Hotel | 2.6 km | |
| Amarat Classic Hotel | 2.3 km | |
| Astek Apartment | 2.3 km | |
| Crown Hotel | 2.8 km | |
| Juba Optimum Hotel | 2.5 km | |
| Juba Transit Hotel | 2.8 km | |
| Panorama Portico Hotel | 2.4 km | |
| Royal Hotel | 2.6 km | |
| Shalom Hotel | 2.3 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Juba
Juba has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; August is the wettest, with about 140 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Juba: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Juba International Airport (JUB), about 2.9 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
Direct commercial flights from Nairobi (Kenya Airways and others) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airways) to Juba are the most popular entry routes. Multiple daily flights from Khartoum, Sudan (costing around US$200) and Entebbe, Uganda are also available. Charter and UN flights are also available from Lokichokio. Egyptair has direct flight twice per week from Cairo and Turkish Airlines also two per week from Istanbul. Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and Egypt Air provide the most convenient single carrier routes from Europe, usually not requiring a lengthy stopover.
Getting around
Juba is a small town with big plans. You can walk through most of it in a few hours - however, the town is quite spread out in to 3 areas - Juba Town, Government ministries, and the Nile camps - and it's a long, hot, dusty walk between the three. It is also not recommended to walk because of the high risk of crime. If you are coming here to live and work, a car is essential to get around - although there are a lot of boda bodas (motorbike taxis) running during the day. The roads are mostly unsealed, but you can get by in a saloon - although after a heavy rain it's 4x4 only.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
JUB · Juba International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Juba
Eat
The Village and Da Vinci camp are battling over who cooks the best pizza in town. Home and Away has some average food at western prices in western-ish surroundings. Numerous tent camps line the Nile, and all look the same, buffets tend to be the norm. Prices vary widely. Worth seeking out Rock City for the views over Juba.
Drink
A cold beer is easy to find in Juba, in strong contrast to the North, but the best stocked bar in Juba is Fresh Freddies - everything from a 20yr old malt whisky to sambuca shots to vodka slush puppies.
Stay safe
See the warning at the South Sudan article for information on the security situation. There have been instances of armed robbery and muggings of foreign nationals. Take extra care with any travel at night. Landmines remain outside in some areas the city.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Juba: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Juba?
Juba has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; August is the wettest, with about 140 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Juba?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Juba International Airport (JUB), about 2.9 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Juba?
South Sudanese pound (SSP).
Nearby
Destinations near Juba
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.